The WTF Bach Podcast

This week I chose to read experts from the 'New Bach Reader', a compilation book of documents from Bach's life or shortly thereafter. These documents are sometimes letters, receipts, or newspaper notices, but might be a dinner bill for an inn where Bach stayed, or his candid thoughts on singers. I highly recommend this book. Find it here. NEXT EPISODE IS LISTENER'S CHOICE- SEND ME THE PIECE YOU WANT: Bach (at) WTFBACH (dot com) Thank you to each of you who donate to these episodes:https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachhttps://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbach  Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe

Last Episode WTF Bach explained how computers, using MIDI, could help us understand Bach in a unique way.Here then, is a brief episode of four Bach MIDI files, played with very basic computer operations (quantized 16th notes, panning between speakers, mechanical slowing down and speeding up). It's likely you've never heard Bach in this way before. The question therefore is, 'Did you learn something?' --Don't forget to donate to this production:https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachhttps://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbachAnd let us know how we are doing, Bach (at) WTFBACH (dot com) Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe

How can computers help us understand Bach? What is MIDI? In this episode we learn how MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) files, that is, a sort of sheet-music for computers, can help us explore Bach’s music in modern and novel ways. If you don’t read music or play an instrument, MIDI files might be your way into Bach’s mind. Even if you are a virtuoso Bachian, there will be something in MIDI technology that can help you uncover further details throughout Bach’s most fascinating constructions. Dave (of Dave's J.S. Bach page) talks about the 'art of MIDI'My album featuring 'panning' between two upper voices in Bach Three links to Bach MIDI files:1) https://www.midiworld.com/bach.htm2) http://www.jsbach.net/midi/3) https://www.kunstderfuge.com/bach.htm Don't forget to donate to this production: https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachhttps://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbach And let us know how we are doing, Bach (at) WTFBACH (dot com) Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe

Two episodes ago we covered the first movement of the fifth Brandenburg concerto up to the famous harpsichord cadenza. In this episode we look at the two existing versions of the famous cadenza: an early version a mere 18 measures, and the the famous one, more than three times as long. Alfred CortotGlenn Gould’s video mentioned is here:https://youtu.be/gvs4v_aswfkTon Koopman’s featured live performance is here:https://youtu.be/eLJ24CnVRyQAnd the film in which Leonhardt himself plays Bach (The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach) is here:https://youtu.be/MhZ71owC7PsDonate to this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachhttps://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbach Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we will look at:The genesis of the Brandenburg concerti,What Bach’s job was like when these compositions came about,Who his employer was then,How much music Bach was composing at that time,Why a Baroque composer writes anything at all,The difference between a modern composer and one in the Baroque. Then finally, we will disprove another famous Bach myth:‘Bach composed the last of the Brandenburg concerti to get fired’ --**PS: Any of my listeners want to start correcting some of the Wikipedia pages with Bach BS (Bad Scholarship) and linking the sources to these episodes? Write me (email below)—Donate to this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachhttps://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbach__I love my listener feedback! Keep it coming! Bach (at) WTFBACH (dot com) Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe

This episode and the next two will cover the first movement of the fifth ‘Brandenburg’ concerto, BWV1050, a concerto for solo flute, violin and harpsichord.  The recording featured in this episode is Il Giardino Armonico (probably my favorite recording of all six Brandenburg Concerti). This is the YouTube link. Thank you for your emails, your donations and your suggestions. Keep ‘em coming Bach (at) wtfbach (dot) com Follow me on IG where I post almost daily Bach content: @WTFBach  Donate to this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachhttps://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbach Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe

GUESS WHO'S BACK? BACK AGAIN? THE BACH STORE is in GERMANY March25-April8. Stream it here:Twitch.tv/wtf_BachLet's kick off this season discussing the fugue for violin in G minor BWV1001, and its arrangement for Organ BWV539. There is also one for lute (perhaps lute harpsichord) BWV1000. Donate to this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachhttps://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbachLinks to music played in this episode:Milstein 1957Milstein 1975Robert Hill arranges the AdagioHelmut Walcha BWV539Narisco Yepes, LuteReitze Smits BWV539Email me at Bach at WTFBACH dot com  Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe

So! We've done it: Looked in depth at every fugue, every canon, solved the mysteries, busted the myths, sent the Bach heretics back to whence they came. And now? Let's just enjoy... Topics covered:The golden sections in other Bach pieces and how this could help us find the golden section here, even in this fugal fragment. 'God the Father' 'God the Spirit' 'God the Son' as three themes.--THE LAST PAGE ! CLICK HERE to see the 'corrupt' staves on which it would have been impossible to complete such a dense fugue. **Note the staff three from the bottom**--Koopman playing the B-flat minor, book two--Follow Evan on Instagram for even more Bachian content: www.instagram.com/WTFBachBECOME A PATRON OF EVAN'S:https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachSupport us:https://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbachSuggestions? Want Evan to analyze a specific piece of Bach? Have other questions for Evan about music or anything at all?Write us:bach@wtfbach.com Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe

This is the final fugue of The Art of Fugue, the famous 'unfinished' fugue, number 14. We discuss how one could have understood this fugue to have been unfinished in earlier periods in musical history (it was finished) and what exactly is missing. THE LAST PAGE ! CLICK HERE to see the 'corrupt' staves on which it would have been impossible to complete such a dense fugue. **Note the staff three from the bottom**Topics covered:B+A+C+H = 14B-A-C-H as a melody and fugue subject.Where the missing, 4th theme, comes in this quadruple fugue. The final combination of all four themes and its 'note for note' inversion as mentioned in Bach's obituary of 1754. --Follow Evan on Instagram for even more Bachian content: www.instagram.com/WTFBachBECOME A PATRON OF EVAN'S:https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachSupport us:https://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbachSuggestions? Want Evan to analyze a specific piece of Bach? Have other questions for Evan about music or anything at all?Write us:bach@wtfbach.com Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe

Guest Interview: Christoph Wolff, Former Head of the Bach Archive in Leipzig. I had the privilege of speaking to Christoph Wolff, certainly the most distinguished Bach scholar of the 20th century, even until today. From Jimi Hendrix to Rudolph Serkin, from the music Bach's composed which is lost, to the famous "Seal of 1722", this interview has it all folks. Take a listen!Browse Mr. Wolff's Books Here:--People / Topics Covered:Albert Schweitzer (His Bach biography, Volume 1)"Bach's Seal"Bach's Handexemplar of the Goldberg VariationsCaldara's Magnificat Other composers Bach performed: Palestrina, Frescobaldi, Froberger, Buxtehude, Handel, Porpura, PergolesiNeue Bach AusgabeSaint Mark PassionBach's ObituaryThe Zimmermann Coffee House-Follow Evan's instagram, because... well... it's the only one you should follow.- Support us:https://www.patreon.com/wtfbachhttps://www.paypal.me/wtfbachhttps://venmo.com/wtfbachhttps://cash.app/$wtfbach--Suggestions? Want Evan to analyze a specific piece of Bach? Have other questions for Evan about music or anything at all?Write us:bach@wtfbach.com Get full access to WTF Bach at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe